Fire extinguisher



Nov. 27, 1923 A. L. COLE FIRE EXTINGUISHER Original Filed Feb. 6, 191

WITNESSES Patented Nov. 2?, i923.

- uuirrn srares iAiSJSZ arser OFFECE.

ALBERT I. COLE, OF AUBURNDALE, IMASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 FRANK C. PAR- MENTER, OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

Application filed February 6, 1914-, Serial No. 817,042. Renewed January 18 1822.

To cllwhomt may concern:

Be it known that I. ALBERT L. Conn, a citizen of the United States. residing at Auburndale in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire EXt-inguish ers, of which the following is specification, reference being had therein to the accon1- panying drawings.

This invention relates to fire extinguishers and particularly to portable devices of that character.

The main object of my invention is to provide a fire extinguisher which is compact, eiiicient and easily handled and manipulated.

A further object is to provied a device which may when necessary be operated with one hand leaving the other hand free.

An additional object is to provide a device of such character that it can be em.- ployed etiiciently in places difficult of access as for instance in between walls and similar places.

Other objects of the invention will be more specifically set forth hereinafter.

Briefly, my invention contemplates a fire extinguisher having provision for carrying a supply of fire extinguishing fluid which 18 forced out through a nozzle in a thin stream or spray by air under compression, the extinguisher being provided with means for compressing the air and with a reservoir for holding compressed air so that the device may be used continuously by operating the compressor or may be operated for an ap prec-i able time by relying upon the storage supply alone.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illust "ated in the accompanying drawings. in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of my fire extinguisher; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation oi the same looking from right to left in. Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view; Fig. 4 a longitudinal vertical sectional view of Fig. 1; F ig. 5 is a sectionalplan view looking downwardly with a portion omitted and a partof the plunger not shown; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 66 in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a detail View of the valve showing itsposition when the extinguisher is in operation; Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line Serial No. 530,228.

8-8 in F ig. 7 Fig. 9 is a detail view of the nozzle; and Figure 10 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the valved outlet end of the reservoir.

In, the illustrated embodiment of my invention 10 represents a casing, cylindrical in form, having in. its forward end an internal thread into which is screwed a cap 11 of conical shape. At the apex of this cap is an internal thread which permits a nozzle 12 to be removably secured thereto. The rear end of the casing is provided with a cap 13. The under portion of the rear end of the casing is made integral with a downwardly extending projection 14 which assumes the shape of the handle of pistol. Centered within the casing and running nearly the full length thereof is a tube 15 which constitutes the body-portion of a pump or air compressor. 17 is an intake valve for the compressor and 18 represents the outlet valve leading into a. storage chamber or reservoir" 19 for the compressed air. These valves may be of any suitable construction but I make use of the ordinary ball valve. 20 isa piston oi the air compressor 21 is its rod and 22 a handle. The piston rod and hendletogether I designate as the plunger. The rod 21 is centered in position by the cap or guide box 24:. Owing to the peculiar construction of the device it is not necessary to provide a stufling box or washers for the pump.

The outside diameter of the tube 15 forming the compressor being much smaller than the inside diameter of the casing 10 forming the body-portion of the extinguisher, there is provided a. chamber 25 of suitable capacity to contain a quantity of fire eXtin guishing liquid sufficient to put out an ordinary blaze. The pistol shaped handle .14 is hollow and has an aperture 26 leading into the chamber of the casing.

There is a. space between the end of the air compressor and the inner part of the cap 11. which permits a pipe 28 to be insert ed into the inner part of the apex of the conical cap 11 and thereby to be brought into abutment with the nozzle 12. This pipe 28 passes under the tube 15 through the aperture 26 down into the hollow handle 14 ending at the valve 30. The purpose of, this pipe is to afford apassage by which the fluid contained in the chamber 25 may be forced out through the nozzle. The valve 30 is one of ordinary construction and ispreteroily made in the following manner. 31 reprev with a fire extinguishing fluid, an opening may be provided at any suitable point as for instance inst-he handle. which may be closed by a pipe. plug 33.

Referring again to the storage reservoir 19, it will be noticed that it passes out through the. casing 10 and then back again into the chamber 25, the latter end opening into the said chamber and'being controlled by a valve 35 which prevents the liquid in the chamber from flowing; back into the reservoir- 19 but does not interfere with the passageof air from the reservoir 19 to the chamber- 25. Any form of valve may be used inthis connection, that shown being an ordinary ball valve.

The mode ofoperation of the device is as follows: The valve 30 is closed as s iown in i and the plug 33 is removed and the device filled with fire extinguislnng liquid,

which is poured through the aperture normally closed'by the said plug. After the chamber 25 and the space in the handle have been entirely filled with the fire extinguishingfluid the plug 33 is screwed into place tightly and the device is ready foruse.

In order that the fire extinguishing fluid may be forced out through the nozzle 12 in a fine spray or stream it is first necessary to operate the con'ipressorand generate an air pressure in the reservoir 19. This is done by moving the piston in the tube 15 by means of the handle 22 in the usual manner of operating anair pump. As the-piston is moved from left to right, referring); to Fig.4, the air is drawn in from the atmosphere through the inlet valve- 17 and when the piston is moved back agaimthat is "from; right to left, the air-is eompressedclosiiur the inlet valve 17 and opening the outlet valve 18, and allowing the air to pass into the reservoir 19. This operation is continued until the necessary pressurehas been generated in the air I'QSGBVOlTlQL When thedevice is full of fire extinguishing; liquid none of the compressed air can leave the reservoir. The device is then ready for use. By opening the valve 30 the compressed air in the reservoir causes the=- liquid to be forced into the ,end' of the pipeQS -andout throug-h the nozzle- 12. The

"1 .wril 1 p1 +1. o n latter is pioneer. liltl a transverse slot 04 wlncn operates to spread the liquid into a spray as it passes out or the nozzle. is the liquid lion-s out through the pipe from the chamber 25, the air under pressure in the reservoir passes through the valve into the chamber and the liquid continues to flow through the nozzle so long; as the pressure in the reservoir and in the chamber Kceeds the atmospheric pressure. T re length of time during which the device will play a continuous stream through the nozzle will depend, of course, upon the amount oi? compression present in the r rvoir and this can be regulated by the io ill or time the plunger is pperated previo to opening the valve 30. ll hen using my dev'ce as above described it may be held by the operator with one hand grasping the handle lidwhich leaves the other hand tree.

Not only is it possible for my extinguisher to be used in the manner already described, that is, by storing the reservoirwith compressed air so as to operate it continuously for a few minutes, but it is also possible to use it as an ordinary syringe lire extinguisher. This can be done bygrasping the handle of the device in one hand and operating; the plunger continuously with the other hand. When so used the d vice has, however, an advantage over the syringe lire extingz uisher because the stream, of liquid passing through the nozzle is constant and continuous and not interrupted, For ordinary use where the operator not hampered for space by t 1e position inwhich it is necessary to hold the extinguisher, the latter method will generally serve all purposes. lVhere, however, it is desired to use the device in putting out .ire so located that it may be necessary for the person employing it to use his letthaud for some purpose, as for balancing; himself in a rocking boat at sea in case the engine of a motor boat should take fire. or in holding himself up to reach. a hiszhelevation, or where it is necessary to insert the device in some place where the plunger cannot be operated, as for instance in between the walls of a partition or under a sink or some other place. then the former method can be used, that is. the method of: first storing; a suliicieut in'essure and then opening the valve 30.

The urea? advantanc of this method of using; the ex iuguishcr is that it may be held isitions so long; as

in a great i v di l'ercnt the handle is not held up vardly. and the dcvi'ce will stilloperate.

inother feature of my invention resides in the means provided for opening upand shutting oll' ithe device; that is, the valve 30. This valve is normally closed and so long as itremains closed the device cannot operate 'liy merely unscrei'ving this valve the extinguisher is i nrnediately put in operation. This gives the operator using it absolute control so that the spray of fire extinguishing fluid can'be quickly turned on or off without any appreciable effort whenever the occasion requires. This feature prevents undue wasting of the extinguishing liquid.

The construction of the nozzle is important because it increases the efi'ectiveness of the device by spreading the stream of fluid .so as recover a comparatively large area,

and at the same time does not so reduce the stream into fine spray as to be of no efi'ect.

By arranging the compressor within the casing where it is entirely surrounded by the extinguishing fluid any heat generated by the operation of the compressor is taken up by the fluid and the compressor is kept cool.

It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the particular construction herein shown, as my invention may be embodied in other structures without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim is 1. A fire extinguisher comprising a casing having a chamber for fire extinguishing fluid and a nozzle, an air compressor within said chamber, a storage reservoir connected to said air compressor at one end and opening into said chamber at the other end, suitable valves controlling said reservoir, a pipe connecting said chamber with said nozzle and having its lower end open and a valve controlling the lower end of said pipe.

2. A fire extinguisher comprising a casing having a chamber for fire extinguishing fluid and a nozzle. an air compressor centrally located in said chamber and provided with an intake valve and an outlet valve, a storage reservoir for compressed air, one end of which is connected to said outlet valve and the other end of which opens into said chamber, a pipe connecting the said chamber with said nozzle and having its lower end open and a valve controlling the lower end of said pipe.

3. A fire extinguisher comprising a casing having a chamber for fire extinguishing fluid and a nozzle, an air compressor centrally located within said chamber, a storage reservoir having one end connected to said :on1pressor and the other end opening into said chamber, a valve for the compressor end of said reservoir "for permitting the compressed air to flow from said compres sor into said reservoir, av valve at the other end of said reservoir for preventingthe liquid in said chamber from flowing back into said reservoir, a pipe connecting the lowermost portion of said chamber with said nozzle and having its lower end open and a valve controlling the lower end of said pipe.

i. A fire extinguisher comprising a casing having a chamber for fire extinguishing fluid, a nozzle and a depending hollow handle portion, an air compressor connected to said chamber, a pipe connected at one end to said nozzle and extending into the lower portion of said handle and having its lower end open and a valve located in the baseof said handle for controlling the end of said pipe.

5. A fire extinguisher comprising a hollow casing having a nozzle and a depending hollow handle, an air compressor for supplying said casing with compressed air, a storage reservoir for storing air under compression, said reservoir being connected at one end to said compressor and at the other end to the interior of said casing, a pipe connected to said nozzle and extending into the lower end of said handle and having its lower end open and means for controlling the flow of liquid through said pipe and said nozzle.

6. A fire extinguisher comprising a hollow casing having a nozzle and a depending hollow handle, an air compressor for supplying said casing with compressed air, a storage reservoir for storing air under compression, said reservoir being connected at one end to said compressor and at the other end to the interior of'said casing, a pipe connected to said nozzle and extending into the lower end of said handle and having its lower end open and a valve for controlling the flow of liquid through said pipe and said nozzle.

7. A fire extinguisher comprising a hol low casing having a nozzle and a depending hollow handle, an air compressor centrally located within said casing and provided with an intake valve and an outlet valve, a storage reservoir for compressed air, one end of which is connected to said outlet valve and the other end of which opens into said casing, a pipe connected at one end to said nozzle and extending into the lower end of said hollow handle and having its lower end open and means for controlling the flow of liquid out through said pipe and said nozzle.

8. A fire extinguisher comprising a casing having a chamber for fire extinguishing fluid and provided with a nozzle and a depending hollow handle, an air compressor centrally located within. said chamber, a storage reservoir having one end connected to said compressor and the other end opening into said chamber, a valve for the compressor end of said reservoir for permitting said air to flow from said compressor into said reservoir, a valve at the other end of said reservoir for preventing the liquid in said chamber from flowing back into said reservoir, a pipe connected at one end to said nozzle and extending into the lower portion ofsaid handle-and having its lowen end open and means for controlling the flow oii'liquid outwardly through said pipeand SRKl'HOZZlG.

9. Afire extinguisher comprising a casing having a chamber for fire. extinguishing fluidand provided with. a nozzle andv a de pending hollow handle, air air compressor centrally located WitlIiDSZLlCl chamber, a storage reservoir, having one end connected to said compressor and the other end opening'into saidchamber, a: valve for thecompressor endot said'reservoir for permitting said air to flow from saidcompressor into said reservoir, valve at; the otherv end of said reservoir "for; preventing. the liquid in said chamber fronrflowingbacl; into said reservoir, a pipe connectedat one end to said nozzle and extending into the lower portion of said handle and'having its-lovven end open and a'valve located in the base-of saidhandle for controllingtheflovv'of liquid outwardly througlrsaid pipe and said nozzle.

10. A fire extinguisher con'iprisinga hollow casing having anozzleat one end and a depending hollow extensionJ constituting a hand grip at theother end; anair compressor Within saidcasing for supplying said casing with compressed air, said compressor having an operatinghandle in proximity to thehand grip and being operatediro-m t-hat'end of tliecasing opposite the nozzle end; apipe connected at one endto said nozzle: and extending into the lower end of said" hollow extension and'means atthe end of-thehollow extension for controlling the flow of liquid outwardly through said pipeand said nozzle.

11. A fire ei-ztinguisher comprising a container having discharge nozzle and controlling means therefor, an air compressor Within the container, a reservoir in communication with the inner end of thecompressorad'jace'nt tothe nozzle end of the container, and a discharge portion at the other end of thecontainer and locatedwvithin and communicating with the latter, said discharge portion being provided with a, valve, substantiallyas and-"tor the purpose de scribed.

12. A: fire extinguisher comprising a con tainer for fire extinguishing liquid having a nozzle and provided with means for controlling the discharge from said nozzle, an air=compressor Within the container, a reservoir for compressed air, mounted to be supportedbv the container and connected to receive itsisupply from saidcompressor near one end; of thecontainerand having a discharge-portionnear the other end of and communicating with said container, and suitable controlling. means interi'nediate the compressor and reservoir permitting the air to; enter thelreservoir but preventing its re turn to thecompressingmeans, and-suitable controliing means intermediate of the reservoirand container permitting the compressedrair in said reservoir to escape directly tosa-id; container to exert its expelling influence on the fire extinguishing liquid upon the opening of the nozzle discharge controlling means.

13. An apparatus. for spraying liquids comprising ahollow casing-provided with a nozzle atone end and havinga depending extension at itsothe-rfiend, a passage in said casing connected to said nozzle, and communicating-with the lowpointof said depending-extension, a valve for said passage atthat end of the casing remote from the nozzle for controlling. the flow of liquid through said'nozzle, and:means in the main portion of the casing positioned above said depending extension for supplying compressedairto the interior-of said casing.-

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses, this the fourth day of- February,

ALBERT L. COLE. Witnesses E. F. Nome, H; A. ENGLISH; 

